So who’s to Say ?

So who’s to say?

Seasons turning in a parallel universe

For most of us, its short days and long nights.
For Taxi drivers and Christmas workers,
Hoteliers, it’s a time of long days and short nights

For most, a time of giving and receiving.
For some it’s a time for taking and making.
For those with kids its all for the children.
For others a week of nothing but drinking.

Save your time, and save your money
Buy next year’s cards half price in January.
Last weekend of August, Christmas decs are in store,
Switch on the illuminations, light up the tower.

Twinkling lights along the strand
Fibre optic, halogen, tungsten and filament
Bulbs by the thousands light up the sand
LED, Laser, neon, and fluorescent.

Throughout September and in to November
And who’s to say this isn’t right
Lights on the prom extinguished before Christmas.
As the tower, like a tree, shines bright in the night.

So who’s to say what happens next
In four years’ time they must all be replaced
Stop global warming, save the planet.
Low energy bulbs are the future, the government dictates.

So who’s to say ‘25th December’?
Christians, Prince Albert and Coca Cola
Hijacked and defined the turning of the year
As the old world marked the sun’s rebirth.

Stonehenge they do say
Marks the sunrise on the longest day.
But turn it around and what does it say?
Only the sunset on the shortest day!

So who’s to say? We know they stole our yuletide solstice.
It could have been in November; not likely our ‘Christmas’
When three kings followed their star all a-glow
And shepherds watched their flocks in the snow.

So who’s to say?
That long ago and far away,
Away in a manger
Wasn’t really in November.

(c) Russ Morton 23 Nov 2014